Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

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Natural breaks occur in evergreen forest for various reasons including, as here, rock outcrops. Phou Xiang Thong NBCA, February 1998. S. Chape / IUCN. Limestone karst supports a distinctive vegetation assemblage, with which several rare and/or localised animal species are associated. Hin Namno NBCA, May 1998. S. Chape / IUCN. Introduction There is a continuum in tall forests between fully evergreen and fully deciduous. Phou Xiang Thong NBCA, February 1998. S. Chape / IUCN. Repeated burning of forest and regrowth can reduce the landscape to a rather species-poor grassland. Nam Et NBCA, November 1995. S. Chape / IUCN. 7
Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report north-east of Vientiane. Much of the broad-leaved forest has been removed by shifting cultivation (see Fujisaka 1991) and fire and there are now large areas of Imperata grassland, bamboo and other secondary vegetation throughout the north (Plate 2). Wetlands consist primarily of swift-flowing rivers and streams, but the area includes also the Nam Ngum Reservoir, the country’s largest man-made water-body (230-450 km 2 , depending on season) and an important fishery (Claridge 1996). The Annamite Range was originally covered largely by hill and montane evergreen forest, with extensive pine forests on the Nakai Plateau and in the upper Xe Kong catchment further to the south. The Nakai Plateau may support the only extensive old-growth pine stands in the country (although some has been logged recently); stands on the Xiangkhouang, Dakchung and Bolaven plateaux all comprise smaller and younger trees in much more open formations. Large parts of the Annamites have been affected by shifting cultivation, but forest conversion has not been as extensive as in most of the Northern Highlands. In the south and centre of the country, large expanses of forest remain intact. Wetlands in the Annamite Range consist primarily of fast-flowing streams (Plate 3), although there are also seasonally flooded grasslands on the Nakai Plateau, and in the south a small (about 1 km 2 ) crater lake and very limited freshwater ponds and marshes. Extensive limestone karst covered by scrub and forest occurs along the western edge of the Annamites, largely in Khammouan Province (Plate 2). In addition to its vegetation cover, numerous caves and some underground rivers are of wildlife interest. The Bolaven Plateau is largely cut off from the Annamite Range by the wide valley of the Xe Kong river in southern Lao PDR. It was covered originally by hill and montane evergreen forest (including some stands of pine), but large parts have been subjected to shifting cultivation and fire and some are now under grassland and scrub. There has also been a recent conversion of forest and old shifting cultivation areas to coffee plantations. There are many fast-flowing streams, but pools, crater lakes, marshes and seasonally flooded grasslands are few. The Mekong Plain physiographic unit was covered originally by lowland semi-evergreen forest, with extensive areas of dry dipterocarp forest (Plate 2) and mixed deciduous forest (Plate 2). Much of the semi-evergreen forest has been logged, although large relatively intact areas still remain, primarily in the south and on the more inaccessible slopes. The lower slope areas are subject to some shifting cultivation pressure, which, along with seasonal fires, is resulting in conversion to more deciduous forest types and, in heavily used areas, to shrubland and savanna. Remaining dry dipterocarp forests are widely subject to seasonal burning and livestock grazing. The most intensive human use of the Mekong plain occurs in low-lying flat areas that are inun- 8 dated during the rainy season. These areas are now largely converted to rain-fed paddy-fields. Wetlands in this area include fast-flowing watercourses, meandering rivers and streams with oxbow lakes and seasonally inundated floodplains, freshwater ponds and marshes, seasonally flooded grasslands (formerly extensive), reservoirs, and rainfed and irrigated paddy-fields (Plate 3). Almost all are subject to fishing and other forms of human disturbance, usually at high levels. The Seephandon wetlands or Khon Falls, a widening of the Mekong River at the Lao-Cambodian border, is noteworthy as the world’s widest rapids (Plate 3). An estimated 85% of Lao PDR is covered by vegetation not currently under active management, much of which is secondary. The remaining 15% comprises urban areas, permanent agriculture, and active shifting cultivation. A 1996 analysis suggests that ‘mature’ forest (defined as areas with at least 20% canopy cover and a 30 m canopy) covers an estimated 40% of land. This forest is being fragmented by logging, agriculture, roads and other development activities (Plates 2, 4). Forest cover in 1989 was estimated, using similar methodology, at 47% and thus the national forest estate seems to be contracting at about 0.5-0.7% per year. Under this definition, there is very little ‘mature’ forest north of 19º30’N (about the latitude of Xiangkhouang town). The largest and least disturbed blocks of forest remaining are all in or south of the Nam Theun catchment (K. Panzer verbally 1999; see also Stibig 1997). Several forest classification schemes for Lao PDR have been proposed; none is specifically for wildlife-related purposes. The preliminary national forest inventory (LSFCP 1992) was primarily for silvicultural purposes. At the opposite extreme, recent work by Steinmetz (1998a, 1998b) has documented the complex habitat subdivisions used by villagers. More intensive study of habitats has taken place in neighbouring Thailand, but even here there is no universal agreement on how to classify natural habitats or the nomenclature to be used for them (Graham and Round 1994). This document therefore uses a loose habitat terminology to allow for various interpretations. It is based upon the classification used by Round (1988) with the modifications of Thewlis et al. (1998). Most species of birds and large mammals of evergreen forest use also semi-evergreen forest, so (following Lekagul and Round 1991) this habitat is not specifically mentioned unless there are no records from evergreen forest. During recent surveys, forest type classification has been based predominantly on gross physiognomy, rather than floristics. In two cases forests are named after prominent constituent genera, Fokienia forest and pine forest. Almost pure stands of pine are not rare, but Fokienia forest usually includes substantial numbers of broad-leaved species (Plate 2).
Page 2 and 3: IUCN - The World Conservation Union
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LARGE MAMMALS J. W. Duckworth, R. J
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1965), but no detailed fauna has ye
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no hunter could confuse a gibbon, e
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Species Phou Dendin NBCA Large Mamm
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Species Nakai - Nam Theun NBCA Naka
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Species Xe Bang-Nouan NBCA Xe Sap N
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• Specific surveys to gain cleare
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Young White-handed Gibbon, Xaignabo
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m in limestone karst. Status Inform
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Duckworth in press). Status Informa
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[• Hylobates gabriellae Yellow-ch
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Range and Habitat: North M15 , cent
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ear action and management plan and
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Common Palm Civet, Ban Lak (20) mar
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[• Lutra sumatrana Hairy-nosed Ot
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• Hemigalus owstoni (= Chrotogale
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Table 14. Asian Golden Cat locality
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Sun Bear, Xe Pian NBCA, early 1997.
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China and Vietnam (Martin 1992, Sri
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1986, Dobias 1992a, Salter 1989b),
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Table 15. Summary of observations o
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ace of S. scrofa in Lao PDR, S. s.
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Eld’s Deer footprint, Dong Khanth
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areas during the rainy season (Deuv
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• Consideration of appropriate me
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wide-ranging field experience in In
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the headwaters of the Xe Bangfai an
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The three squirrels most commonly t
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Lao range to merit designation as a
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Conservation Management and Researc
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ORDER INSECTIVORA M. F. Robinson IN
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of north-east Laos. In Malaysia it
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ORDER CHIROPTERA: BATS C. M. Franci
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Rhinolophus acuminatus, Dong Khanth
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1992). In Lao PDR has been found ro
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• Hipposideros armiger Great Roun
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[Pipistrellus coromandra Indian Pip
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east Thailand, that had apparently
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ORDER RODENTIA, FAMILY MURIDAE C. M
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1997). Forest habitats, probably at
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REFERENCES Written Allen, G. M. 192
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Laos. Bull. Soc. Roy. Sci. Nat. du
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ats in Phou Khao Khoay NBCA. Vienti
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mittee (draft report). MacKinnon, J
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Robinson, H. C. 1915. On the birds
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Thewlis, R. M., Duckworth, J. W., A
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ANNEX 1 Selected bird and mammal sp
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ANNEX 2 CITES-listed wildlife speci
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ANNEX 3 Amphibian, reptile, bird an
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Species Key species: status Current
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ANNEX 4 Birds and large mammals ass
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Species Association with wetlands R
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Annexes with respect to the strengt
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4 : 5 14 : 20 14 : 16 8 : 9 14 : 16
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Reports of rhinoceroses during vill
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5 : 5 20 : 20 16 : 16 8 : 9 15 : 16
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Species Global Lao threat status ri
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Species Global Lao threat status ri
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Wildlife of Lao PDR: 1999 Status Report - IUCN

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